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Data for estimating eaten prey masses from Eurasian lynxLynx Lynx scats in Central and East Europe

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Abstract

To derive a model which allows estimating eaten prey masses from lynxLynx lynx Linnaeus, 1758 scats, we fed 3 roe deerCapreolus capreolus, 2 wild boarsSus scrofa, 1 fallow deerDama dama, 1 mouflonOvis ammon musimon, 1 European hareLepus europaeus and 1 daily diet of miceMus musculus to two adult lynx. The percentage of prey use decreased with an increase in the offered body mass of the prey individual. Conversion factors from dry matter scat mass to fresh matter mass of eaten prey (y) increased linearly as the eaten mass of the prey individual (x) rose:y = 15.06 + 1.330x,R 2 = 0.643,F 1,7 = 12.6,p < 0.01. For estimating eaten prey masses from lynx scats we recommend to use (1) this equation as well as (2) prey type-specific conversion factors and (3) prey type-specific quotients of the eaten prey mass per scat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 3, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Ferdinand Rühe, Thomas Burmester & Michael Ksinsik

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  1. Ferdinand Rühe
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  2. Thomas Burmester
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  3. Michael Ksinsik
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Correspondence to Ferdinand Rühe.

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Associate editor was Krzysztof Schmidt.

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Rühe, F., Burmester, T. & Ksinsik, M. Data for estimating eaten prey masses from Eurasian lynxLynx Lynx scats in Central and East Europe. Acta Theriol 52, 317–322 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03194228

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03194228

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